The invention relates to a motor driven lift truck, with variable range, in which the front end of the telescopic arm extends in front of the front wheels in the load carrying position.
The invention is particularly useful as a lift truck with variable range with three wheels.
There are known trucks with variable range with three wheels sold by the French company MANITOU BF under the name TMT: these trucks with variable range with three wheels have a U-shaped chassis, so as to be able to retract a load within the U-shaped chassis in the transport position. These trucks are particularly adapted to be loaded on the rear of a carrying vehicle, as is described in EP0 701 963.
Because of the particular structure of the TMT trucks adapted to be loaded on the rear of a carrying vehicle, these trucks have the drawback of a wide front track of the order of 2 meters and a short wheelbase of the order of 1.40 meter. This structure also has the drawback of a relatively short telescopic arm, permitting reaching a lifting height of the order of 3 meters.
Because of their particular structure permitting retracting the load within the U-shaped chassis in the transport position, these TMT trucks adapted to be loaded on the rear of a carrying vehicle have good lateral stability when turning.